Flash in the arse
Monday, May 21, 2007

He's gone. And so soon after his relaunch too.

I wonder what tipped him over the edge?

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posted by Blamerbell @ 2:26 pm, ,


Housekeeping
Friday, May 11, 2007

Thought I'd do a bit of post-election spring cleaning. There's been movement in the sidebar, with some candidate blogs moving up to become AM blogs (OK, just the one) and others disappearing altogether.

I think it's unfortunate, incidentally, that certain candidates and ejected AMs have decided to delete their blogs. Blogging is, after all, a conversation. And when you're having a chat with someone and it doesn't go your way, you don't punch their lights out and tell them to forgot everything you've ever told them. I would have preferred to see those blogs preserved as relics of the 2007 election campaign. They might have made interesting reading in twenty years time.

Never mind, we are never short of new blogs entering the fray. I am now linking to Thoughts of Oscar, Glas, New Welsh Right, Matt Wardman, Llanelli Political Journal, Cascittuni, Mynydd Llwydiarth and View from the Glen. As ever, if you're not on the list, do get in touch. Good luck with it.

There are no new Labour blogs, by the way. And I don't mean no 'New Labour' blogs (only elected representatives seem bold enough to write those), I mean that there are no new blogs from Labour supporters at all.

Ten years ago, when Blair became prime minister, Labour was the 18-30 party. The man was chillin' out with Oasis for God's sake. But what struck me during my own time at university was the relative weakness of the Labour youth movement compared to the Tories and the Lib Dems. So, when commentators such as Simon Jenkins write off the Lib Dems, I think they're being a little premature. They have phenomenal support among the current generation of students and recent graduates. And these chaps may well mature into loyal Lib Dem voters if the party can get the right leader.

Labour, on the other hand, has been tarnished by Iraq and tuition fees. Students like to indulge their radical streak. They like to shout about injustices and societal wrongs. They aren't terribly keen on defending what all their pseudo-intellectual chums are calling the indefensible. A change of leadership is probably just what the Labour party needs to make young people feel a little bit less embarrassed about supporting it. Who knows, they may even start blogging.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 11:07 am, ,


What have we done?
Thursday, May 03, 2007

This is my life: brief flirtation with football, passionate and elaborate relationship with classical music and academia, audacious attempt to learn Japanese from scratch and then finally, return home to have a bash at being a journalist and as an almost accidental consequence, a Welsh political blogger.

With the exception of those formative years with a football (I played for Merthyr schoolboys don't you know), I've only ever been involved in niche pursuits. I have shouted and screamed about their importance. But I've almost always had to concede that the majority of the population will never really understand nor share my enthusiasm.

So, when Alwyn ap Huw ponders on his blog if the internet has had an affect on this election, I'd like to think that it has. Because it's not necessarily important that people share your enthusiasm - what's important is that they acknowledge it exists and are sufficiently impressed by it. The best political correspondents seem to be irrepressibly excited about their subject. Blogging is no different. That's the only way to get people to take note.

Today, in the Welsh blogosphere, there are an awful lot of people talking about politics with great vigour. When Iain Dale compiled his list of all those who will be blogging through election night, it was dominated by people from Wales. And he'd missed about two thirds off the list!

OK, so the success of the Welsh blogosphere may be in part due to the relative weakness of our mainstream media. But who cares if the result is that people are expressing themselves in more innovative and less constrictive ways?

And it does have an influence. These blogs are not only read by journalists, politicians and ordinary chaps/chapettes right across the country, they are also the world's window on Welsh politics. And when they peer inside what they'll see, unlike some of our more powerful neighbours, is a real hubbub of activity. Unless, of course, they tune in at 4am tomorrow morning when I'm anticipating that it will just be myself and Joe holding hands in the semi-outside.

SYLWCH: Mae'r BBC wedi danfon bathodyn blogio'r etholiad yn Gymraeg (o'r diwedd). Croeso i chi eu ddefnyddio ar eich blogiau.

GYDA LLAW: Mae gen i golofn yn Golwg o wythnos nesaf ymlaen. Da ni'n chwilio am deitl bachog iddo. Cynigion yn y sylwadau os gwelch yn dda. Does dim clem gen i, ond hoffwn i ddefnyddio fy enw go iawn y tro 'ma...

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posted by Blamerbell @ 2:08 pm, ,


And on the sixth day, God made Leighton
Tuesday, May 01, 2007

For them, politics is like a cult. They congregate around certain figures, whom they hold in great esteem. It's almost like hero-worship. If you can call a man in a suit a hero.

They are, of course, the followers - the political enforcers who will not have a word said against their man. And for some reason, don't ask me why, they tend to congregate around the right wing of the Labour party.

For England, see Blairism. For Wales, see Leightonism.

Whatever you might say about Leighton Andrews, he is first and foremost a very effective Labour assembly member for the Rhondda. He is outspoken and combative - just the type of guy the assembly needs. Perhaps followers are an inevitable consequence of strong leaders (although Mr Andrews leads nothing much yet). What's certain is that they exist, and they put themselves about.

Let's take for example, David Taylor, Mr Andrews' researcher. He has a track record to make the Labour right proud:



It is, I'm sure you'll agree, a fairly impressive CV. There's evidence of a lot of graft here, and I can't imagine it's been done for no reason. These people are well-organized and ruthless. The territory, it seems, has been set. And after this election, there may just have to be a battle.

So, how long will it be, do you think, before that crucial Leighton4leader domain gets registered too?


Generous hat doffs to Tim Ireland, Dizzy and The Register.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:04 pm, ,


Secrets and lies (and cowards)
Sunday, April 29, 2007

The car slows down. A head pops out the window.

"You F*cking C*nt," shouts the primitive idiot at the pedestrian.

The car pulls away.

We've all seen it. We all think it's lousy and stupid, but nevertheless an unfortunate sign of our times.

Now, thanks to the exciting world of the internet, you can be a gutless thug online. The practice of writing anonymous comments to slag people off is a strange one. Because clearly there are some people out there who are as bitter as they are cowardly. What on earth could you possibly gain as a human being by attempting to smear someone's good name while sniggering from beneath the cloak of anonymity?

This week has, in many ways, been a great one for the Welsh blogosphere. Not only were blogs used to break big news stories, but they also became a major melting pot for debate. Unfortunately, there is a side effect to that culture. And when it came to the controversy over the alleged homophobic remarks made by a Conservative candidate, some people could not resist. Indeed, there are certain sites where you can, if you wish, continue to defame and deride in equal measure. These sites are almost entirely sustained by comments of this kind, many of them penned by the authors themselves.

Anonymity makes you feel powerful. Bullying can give you a real kick. And what we're seeing in certain corners of the internet is the online equivalent of the Jade Goody Big Brother saga. It's fun to feel part of the club, isn't it? Well, it's no fun if you're on the receiving end.

Personally, I have no time for slurs about the sexuality or appearance of our politicians. Their private lives should remain private unless there is an overwhelming public interest to the contrary.

Yes, Dave, I've got my zing back. Blogs have already given this election campaign a new dimension - we've certainly showed Scotland a thing or two. And I have no doubt that blogging will do (and is already doing) great things for the worlds of politics and journalism.

But it absolutely must be about opening this business up, about reaching more people and not imploding into a closed world where the best we can do is laugh about who has called who a big gay c*nt today. It might feel like a hoot if you're sitting in the car doing the shouting. But outside on the street you just end up looking like a moron.

UPDATE: Need ideas for a leisurely Sunday activity? Blamerbell suggests taking in a sock puppet show. I've only been awake an hour and already they're everywhere. Enjoy!

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:35 am, ,


It's a spin free zone, so go get 'em
Thursday, April 12, 2007

Four plucky politicians have stepped up to the brink and agreed to take part in Blamerbell's first 'Honest John' feature.

They know that people are sick of spin and soundbites. And in keeping with the spirit of the blogosphere, they've agreed to give frank and honest answers to your questions.

So, if you want an upfront response from Huw Lewis (Labour), Leanne Wood (Plaid), Jonathan Morgan (Tory) or Mick Bates (Lib Dem) then post your question in the comments section.*

Maybe you want to know what Mick eats for breakfast, or what Leanne thinks of a coalition with the Tories. Whatever.

I'll put the best to the politicians (along with a few of my own) and publish the results. Let's see if they play ball or if they're beaten yet again by the tired old urge to equivocate.

Go for it.

*Anonymous or offensive questions will be ignored.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:02 am, ,


Carl Sargeant's slow blogging death
Sunday, April 01, 2007

After three exhausting posts, the blog of Carl 'the caveman' Sargeant is no more.

It's a shame. I had hoped Carl would be the Labour Glyn Davies.

So, who'll step up and challenge the Welsh bloggerati?

Sandy Mewies. Used to be a journalist. Great at staccato local paper style headlines. 'Delyn AM saves cat' etc.

Carwyn Jones. Who will he thank today? Too nice to be a proper blogger.

Leighton Andrews. On extended leave from the blogosphere just when it's starting to get interesting.

Conclusion: position vacant, at least until the next Plaid v Huw Lewis handbag swinging tournament.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:57 am, ,


The price of being an arsehole
Friday, March 30, 2007

It may be tempting to think that as a blogger you are all powerful if you simply hide behind a pair of pants or some other artfully constructed conceit. You are not.

No matter how gratifying it must feel to know you are the talk of the BBC and the corridors of Cardiff Bay, getting it wrong as a blogger could be a costly business. In a landmark case in the USA a blogger had to cough up $50,000.

At the moment, the UK courts are gagging to get stuck into their first major blogging case. Bitch blogs beware: I wouldn't want to be the first.

In legal terms, blogs are as vulnerable as any other form of media, and cases would most likely be heard on grounds of defamation or malicious falsehood. But while the mainstream press enjoys certain privileges which mostly ensure its protection, bloggers would be hung out to dry. A proper journalist is usually on firm ground if he can plead he has practiced 'responsible journalism' - certain checks and balances that may save his skin. Bitch blogs, by their very nature, could never plead this defence.

Previously, British bloggers have cockily assumed immunity on the basis that most blogs are hosted in the United States. Well, that makes sod all difference I'm afraid. According to UK law, defamation occurs where the material is read, not where it is published. Further, as a recent Yahoo! user found to the tune of £17,200, foreign companies now seem willing to co-operate with local law to tackle the bigots who cower in the many dark deluded corners of the information superhighway.

It's simply a matter of time before a shit-slinging fact-fabricating blogger is reeled into court. And when it happens, it won't be with a fishing rod but with an industrial-sized trawler. Anyone with a hyperlink to the offending blog or even those who have simply allowed the offending blogger to comment on their own sites could be implicated. In internet terms, that may be considered equivalent to repeating the defamation or falsehood and so they would also be liable.

In the last few months, the Welsh blog has risen in power and influence while standards appear to have gone in the opposite direction. But the bubble will burst. All you need is a prick.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:40 am, ,


Ian Titherington v the world
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

OK, perhaps the Welsh blogosphere isn't the world, but it's still a brave man who takes on the combined might of Peter Black and Glyn Davies et al.

And in his very first blog post too. What a way to introduce yourself to your new friends.

Ian Titherington, Plaid's man in Swansea West, is blogging, albeit reluctantly:

After all the promises I made to myself, I have ignored them all and created an election blog site. Well you know what they say about politician's promises!

I will fill up these pages this weekend, when I have time to do so. I do worry a little about full time politicians who actually have the time to update these things daily. With respect, they need to get a life.

Meow!

Still, Swansea West could be one to watch. Plaid's Ted Jones is bigging up the chances of his mate, despite the 2,500 Labour majority. But whether he can muster an upset or not, pitching a hope-to-be First Minister against no-nonsense Ian means it's still a seat worth keeping an eye on. That's if he can find time to campaign between blogging and shopping for that perfect election handbag.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:13 pm, ,


Me and my mate, Jane
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Our anti-Trident Education Minister here in Wales has signed up to MySpace. She digs us yoofs you see.

But in so doing, Jane, who is currently considering a request to be my friend, has unwittingly revealed a few truths. So, here goes, five things you didn't know about Jane Davidson:

1. She is blissfully unaware that Welsh is not yet an official language, and that this is quite a contentious election issue. Jane says: "I feel really proud of the fact that Welsh and English are official languages in Wales, although I am still trying to become fluent in Welsh!"

2. She is both 49 and 50 years old, depending on what page you look at.

3. She is friends with Jake (Fudge), a sixteen year-old salmon inspector from Uruguay.

4. Her heroes are hardcore lefties like Aneurin Bevan, Hugo Chavez, Mark Thomas and Jeremy Hardy. No mention of Tony Blair.

5. She's started the MySpace page to get more young people involved in politics. One post is entitled 'How Do We Engage More Young people in Voting?':

What was interesting today was a debate on the excitingly titled "Local Government and Public Service Committee Electoral Arrangements Report". With a name like that, I can hardly see people rushing to break the library doors down to find a copy, but it does contain some interesting recommendations on which I would like your views. The report suggests some actions to help:

1.There should be regional and national initiatives to promote voting to young people
2. There should be targeted initiatives to encourage socially and economically deprived young people to vote....

Would any of these make a difference to you? If they wouldn't, what would?

A new targeted initiative you say? Fetch me my jet pack, I'm off to the nearest polling station.

Jane, if you're going to be my friend, you've got to cut out the jargon.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 8:34 am, ,


Breakfast with Blamerbell
Tuesday, March 13, 2007

I'll be on Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales tomorrow (Wednesday) sometime between 7 and 7.30ish. Do tune in if you think you can stomach me with your cornflakes...

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posted by Blamerbell @ 6:18 pm, ,


Plaid AM in search of the blatantly obvious
Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Rhodri Glyn Thomas is the sort of man who looks like he'd open another bottle of wine at three in the morning. But he also seems to be the type of chap who puts two and two together and gets a bizarre polemic.

That's what has happened in his latest (rare) blog post.

"Where in the media is the space for people to talk about decisions that affect their lives?" he asks.

"We are living in a time when people are taking control of their media but we haven’t got the platform to do this in Wales," he writes. On his BLOG. Free, and available to all. A space to, err, take control of their media and talk about decisions that affect their lives.

And for those of you who are already reaching for the standard 'only half of Welsh homes have broadband' retort, let's be clear. That's still an awful lot more people than read the Western Mail.

But Rhodri saves the best till last. At the end of his rant about the the top-down Welsh media and the lack of space for normal people to talk back, we get this little gem: "comments are closed".

Is there really space in Welsh public life for two gaffe-prone Rhodris?

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posted by Blamerbell @ 7:04 am, ,


Are you reading THIS or the Western Mail?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Blogs are as popular as regional newspaper websites as online sources of local news.

That's the somewhat surprising finding of Ofcom in their latest research into the future of news, which has not yet been published in full.

Here in Wales, the massed ranks of politicians who have been so sceptical about blogs might wish to review their position. Something of a blog revolution has occurred in recent months - you need only move your eyes slightly to the left and examine the links in my sidebar as testament to that.

When I last counted in December, 12 AMs kept a blog. Now it's around 15. But the real blossoming has occurred among Assembly candidates and other interested observers.

They've realised, I presume, that a great number of people are completely turned-off politics the way it is presented through the traditional media. Statistically, those people are most likely to be 16-24. And by no coincidence, that same group are also the most avid consumers of news through the internet: over one in three young people now use the web as their prime source of news.

Significantly, these findings only show what percentage of people use blogs as a source of news. But blogs are about much more than that (when they're written properly) and it's reasonable to infer, therefore, that the actual number of readers is much greater.

Of course, blogs are no threat to the Western Mail's rather polished website (though the search function is useless). But politicians and editors alike would be wise not to underestimate their potential for getting at an audience unreached by the traditional media.

After all, if you search for 'Welsh Assembly Election 2007' in Google, you don't get the local paper, neither do you get the government's website or any of the party spin. What you get is Wikipedia, followed by this blog.

[I have the flu so posting may be light over the next couple of days.]

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posted by Blamerbell @ 12:20 pm, ,


Hallelujah! Rhodri blogs
Monday, February 12, 2007

Plaid's Rhodri Glyn Thomas has clearly been very busy in the past three months. He has, however, had time to bark at Peter Hain. He's had time to bring Adam Price MP to the verge of a heart attack. And he's even had time to completely forget why he was so angry at Labour and talk instead about how they're the perfect partners for government.

But he hasn't had time to blog, until now.

Welcome back.

What next, a New Year message from Alun Davies?

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posted by Blamerbell @ 6:17 pm, ,


Carwyn Jones blogs
Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Carwyn 'I'm the next First Minister Jones' has a blog.

I was talking to someone at Welsh Assembly Communications last week and not even they were aware of this.

Unfortunately, Carwyn blogs from the Alun Pugh school of tedium rather than the Glyn Davies school of controversy.

Yesterday, for example he blogged on the 'Warmer, Safer Homes Surgery'.

Yawn.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 9:12 am, ,